Worms In Dogs Poop

hi i'm dr. jodie and today on pet md, we'rediscussing intestinal parasites in dogs 101. why does your veterinarian always ask youto bring in a fecal sample? there are four main types of intestinal parasites that weare talking about. the first one is tapeworms. if you see a tapeworm, it is a long flatsegmentedtype of worm. you might see something that looks like a little dried up rice grain andthat is how you know that your pet has tape

Worms In Dogs Poop, worms. most other types of parasites you won'tsee anything pass out. so the fecal sample that you take in will be analyzed under amicroscope to determine if there are any parasite eggs. it's actually the microscopic eggs thatprovides your veterinarian with the diagnosis. how does your dog or cat contract tapeworm?actually there is a tiny microscopic part

of tapeworm that is inside of a flea, so youshould ask yourself whether your pet has evidence of a flea infestation. the other way is toeat a critter like a mouse or a rabbit. puppies and kittens are constantly infested with roundwormsat birth. so when you obtain your kitten it probably has roundworm and your veterinarianwill recommend a routine de-worming. another type of intestinal parasite that is very seriousis hookworm. these type of parasites are microscopic tiny smooth worms that you can't see withthe naked eye that can be seen under the microscope. they will actually attach inside the intestinesof the pet and suck their blood. the fourth type of parasite seems less common its calledwhip worms sometimes whip worms are not diagnosed because they are shed in the fecal samplevery intermittently . if your pet has symptoms

of profound weight loss extreme shedding,intermittent loose stool, this could be related to the intermittent shedding or the passageof the eggs. a take home tip today would be clean up after your pet. be aware that itis transmitted from dog to dog via fecal contamination and also bring in that fecal specimen foryour veterinarian to check annually